Rod or tube bending machine



Sept. 11, 1956 F. L. MIDDLETON 2,

ROD OR TUBE BENDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR FOREST g M|DD ETON ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 F. L. MIDDLETON2,762,416)

ROD OR TUBE BENDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L L MEFORE ST EMIDDLETON ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 Filed July 12, 1954 annual"!F. L. MIDDLETON ROD OR TUBE BENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 w FORESTkMIDDLETON M LQ I ATTORNEY Superior Machine & 'Tool, Inc., Grand Rapids,Mich., a corporation of Michigan 1 Application July 12, 1954, Serial No.442,595

Claims. (01. 153-45 i This invention is directed to a particularlysimple, "pracnitswam Q tical, sturdy and useful tube bending machine.However,

the machine of my invention is also equally adapted to bend rods, pipes,wire and other various elongated metallic forms of uniform crosssection, such tubes, rods and the like being bent through' any desiredarc, so that one section of the tube or rod at one side of the bend liesat a selected angle with respect to the section thereof at the oppositeside of the bend. With my invention, a tube, rod or the like may be bentpractically, at a maximum, through a complete half circle or 180degrees, two

sections of the tubing at opposite sides of the bend lying V 7 parallelto each other. a g

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide amachine as noted by means of which rods, tubes, pipes and the like arevery quickly and economically bent to desired forms, the novel machinewhich I have invented for such purpose being exceptionally strong anddurable, of long life and very effective for' attainment of the purposesfor which it has been produced. An understanding of the invention may behad from the following description, taken in connection with the aaccompaying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of my invention, inwhich, I a

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the novel machine of my invention with theparts occupying the position which they have when a pipe, tube, rod orthe like is placed in' the machine for bending. v i

Fig. 2 is a like plan view showing the tube bent back upon itselfthrough a full 180 degree bend, the'parts occupying the position whichthey have at the completion of such bending. P

Fig. 3 is a like plan view showing the first step of the machineoperation to bring the bending wiper of the machine against the tube orrod after' it has been placed in the machine.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine as it is in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows the several sembled.

Fig. 6 is a generally horizontal section taken on the planes of thebroken line 6-6 of Fig. '3, looking in the direction indicated, and

Fig. 7 illustrates the several steps of operation of the bending wiperat the beginning, at intermediate stages, and at the end of the bendingoperation.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawings. I

In the structure illustrated, a fixed horizontal table 1 has cut in itan arcuate slot 2, the center of the radius of which is the axis of avertical fixed shaft 3 by a drive or press fit to the table and whichextends upwardly through the table having portions both above and belowit. The slot 2 is of a length less than a full circle, as shown.

Below the table 1 a driving member 4, located against an annular flange3:: on the shaft, is free to rotate around parts of the machinedisasmoves with the plate.

the shaft 3, being shown in the form'of a disk though not necessarily ofdisk form. A vertical pin 5 fixed to the driving member 4 outwardly fromthe shaft 3 ,extends upwardly through the slot 2 in the table and intoan opening made adjacent the outeren'd ofa flat cam plate 6 throughwhich the shaft 3 passes and about which the plate 6 may turn. At theupper side of the plate 6 a cam member 7, of somewhat elongated-. 'formwith rounded ends, is secured, havingan elongated -slot'or recess 8'withparallel sides and'r ounded ends 'made therethrough. Such cam member7 fixed to the plate'6 Over the cam member 7 a connectinglinkfi, of theform shown best in Figs. 1, 2 and}, is positioned. It is a fiat platewhich'at-one end has a collar 10 extending downwardlytherefrom'beinglocated around the upper end portion of the shaft 3andextending downwardly.

Between the inner end portion of the plate 6 and the connecting link 9 abrake is located, having an arcuate portion 11 surrounding the collar10, such arcuate portion being of a circular form, parted at one sideand having outwardlyextending generally parallel arms 12 at the parting,one of which is located between twospaced vertical pins 13'fixed to thetable'l. An adjusting screw 14 passes through the shorter arm 12 and isthreaded into the longer arm 12. Itis used for tightening or loosenin gthe brake upon the collar 10.

A vertical pin 15 has a roller 16 at its lower end, the roller beingreceived in the slot 8 of: the 'cam member 7. The pin 15 is fixed to anddepends from a wiper member 17 near one end thereof. The wiper ispivotally connected, as at 18, adjacent its opposite. end to, turn abouta vertical axis, having apiv'otalconnection ,vvith and another positionin which both sides are perpendicular to such length coming against astop pin 19 extending upwardly from-the connecting link 9. In suchswinging movements the roller -16 traverses the slot 8 and at itsextremes of movements may come against the rounded ends of said slot.

A circular die 20 is mounted at the upper end portion of the shaft 3over'the link 9 substantia1ly in the same plane as the wiper 17. Suchcircular or disk die 20 is fixed on the reduced end portion of the shaft3. It has a continuous annular groove 22 around it as shown. The innerside of the wiper 17, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, has acooperating groove 23 lengthwisethereof in the same plane as groove 22.Both grooves 22 and 23 are of semi-circular form in cross section, eachhaving a radius substantially equal to the outside radius of a tube orrod which is to be bent.

A stop 24 is fixed to and extends upwardly from the table 1 againstwhich an edge of the cam plate 6 is brought at the starting position ofthe machine as in Fig. 1. Adjacent the opposite end of the slot 2 asecond stop 25, likewise secured to and extending upwardly from thetable 1, is secured. Such stop 25 or stops similar thereto may belocated at selected distances away from such end of the slot 2 to limitthe extent of movement of the plate 6 and the parts connectedtherewith-and in this manner govern the degreeof bending of a'pipe,tube, rod or the like which is processed in the machine. The oppositeedge of the cam plate 6 comes against the stop 25 at whatever positionsuch stop may be placed. When it comes against the stop 25 adjacent theend of the slot 2 a full degree bend of the tube or rod 26 is made sothat the two sections of the tube or red at opposite sides of the bendlie parallel to each other.

In the operation, driving member 4 is preferably turned by a suitablepower means. Such power means in practice is by m'eans of a pneumaticcylinder and piston'and piston rod having rack and gearing connectionswith drivjngmember 4. 1 However, the method and; means ot-applyiugpowerto the cam plate 6 .to rot-ate in opposite ,directions is subject to.wide variation and is not .an essenvital part of .the presentinvention. Of course the :cam ,plate 6-.can be turnedbyhand power. V

In operation, a tube such as .tube 26, is ;placed above the connectinglink 9 with the parts in the position shown in 'Fig. .1 received .partlyin the .groove 22 of the die 20; and preferably the tube .isrleasablyaclamped .against movement outside of the lbending .apparatus..On rotating .the driving :memher 4 counter-clockwise the pin firstmoves the plate ,6 .to the position shownin Fig. 3. The .connecting'link.9 is 'frictionallyheld by the brake :11 against movement. I

Insuh movement of .the plate 6, roller :16traverses the slot of the .cammember 7 from its outerto its inner end and .swings the .wiper 17 to theposition 'shown in Fig.3, the .groove 23 in .said wiper partiallyreceiving .the opposite :side of the tube 26. Further continued movementof the plate 6 swings theconnecting link 9 counterclockwise around thevertical axis of the shaft .3 and carries the wiper 17 with it, causingsaid wiper to bend the tube '26 around the die 20. The bending continues.until the end stop 25 is reached as-in Fig. 2, against whichanedge ofthe plate '6 engages, being stopped Ibysaid stop upon reaching it. Inbending the tube or rod it is 'bent into a complete U-bendassshown inFig. .2. If, however, astop 25, .for example, is located as indicated inthe dashedlines in Fig. 3, the bend will :beiof a lesserdegree-andby.selectivelyplacingthe stop at different ,positions, variedbendings of the rod or tube may .be obtained.

-'When such bending .is .completed, 1 on a reverse turningofthedrivingmember 4-in-a clockwise direction-the first .movementLis of.the plate .6, untilthe roller -.16"has .traverse'drthe .slot8 to theouter endthereof, and the wiper comes .againstpin 19 turning link '9against the friction of =the.brake 11 .which has heldconnecting link9*against movement and both move together until-they reach the.initial;.posit-ion in \Fig. 1 when the-plate 6 comes against ;pin 24..T he tube is-releasedatonce from the wiper 17 as soon as the returnmovement of the plate 6 begins, .the wiper moving away from the'tube-which may be removed from the-die .20; and a-section of 'the tube'or .rodat :either side .ofthe bend which, has been "made may .then beplacedinthe machine at. a selected'position when .the machinehasreturneddo the position shown in Fig. 1.

.The machine described is particularly simple, durable,tpracticalandnseful. ,Bendingoftubenrods and thelik'e is accomplished.very rapidly. A tube may have several .spaced bends therein ofdifferent degrees of bending at any of the preselected angles ofcurvature wantedat-the bends. Quantity production of tube, rod-andwireb'ending .istattaineddna very'economical manner. Thernachine,because of .its simplicityand sturdlinessof structure, italso-economical.toproduce andis not liable to get out-of .order.

Theinventionis definedin-the appendedclaims land is .to be consideredcomprehensive of "all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I. claim:

.1. In abending-machine, ahorizontaletablea vertical shaft onandcextending upwardly from said table, a plate above the table throughwhich said shaft passes and about which the plate is mounted to turn,means for driving said plate about the shaft in back and forthmovements, a cam member secured to said plate at its upper side havingan elongated slot therein, a link above the cam member through whichsaid shaft passes and about which shaft the link is rotatively movable,a Wiper having a grooved side edge pivotally connected to and locatedover said link, means connected to the wiper spaced from its pivotalconnection to the link extending into said slot and :engageable'by thesides of said slot, and a circular 'die carried at the upper portion ofsaid =0f said wiper in one direction of movement thereof,.wherebysaid-linkis moved-by the wiper against the brake ;--acting on.the link.

4. Structure having the-elements in combination deifined in claim .2,and a stop for limiting the extent of ,movementlof said plate in-areturn direction and a second stop adapted to be adjustably positionedinthe path of .saidplate tolimit the extent-of movement thereof in theopposite direction. e

S. In a machine of the class described, a horizontal table, a verticalshaft mounted on and passing through saidtable, a member rotatablymounted to turn about the axis of the shaft below the table, .a pinfixed to said .member'extendingupwardly therefrom at a distance fromsaid shaft, .said table ,having an arcuate slot traversed bysaid pin, aplate over-said table through which said shaft ,passes, said pinhavingconnection to the Plate over said slot-in the .table, spaced stops onthe table to limit 0 ,the :movement'of said plate in either direction, acam member secured to the plate at the upper side of the plate having an;outer end adjacent the outer edge of the plate and an inner endextending toward but spaced laterally from said shaft, said cam memberhaving a slot, lengthwise thereof, alink located over said plate and cammember havinga downwardly extending collar through which said shaftpasses, a friction brake around the collar between said link and plate,a wiper of generally :rectangular form pivotally connected to said linkadja- .cent-one end andlying at.its other end over said cam member, saidwiper having a groove in one longitudinal edgethereof, a die of circularform secured to said shaft above said link having a'groove in an edgethereof in the same horizontal plane asthe groove in said Wiper, a

roller mounted on and below said wiper adjacent the .other-end thereoflocated in;the slot of said cam member,

and an upwardly extending projection on said link located .outwardlyfrom said shaft against which the wiper is adapted to engage at its edgeopposite the groove therein.

References :Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS407g6-75 'McNutt July 23, 1889 1,263,301 Wheeler Apr. 16, 1918 1,305,990Barry June 10, 1919 1,309,238 Brinkman July 8, 1919 1,424,366 McArdleAug. 1, 1922 2,469,405 'Payne May '10, 1949 2,636,637 "Redman Apr. 28,1953

